Responsible tourism

Responsible tourism: Cycle Morocco in 14 days, small group vacation

Environment

Animal welfare in Africa can often be a challenge which is why we partner with the SPANA animal hospital in Marrakech to care for the health and welfare of donkeys, dogs and cats.Few vacations have as little detrimental impact on the environment and local residents as a cycling trip. It is a quiet, low impact activity requiring comparatively little resources to support. We do believe in leaving more than just tyre tracks; this cycling tour actively encourages guests to chat with local people, visit local cafes and bars, purchase local produce, gifts and crafts and discover what life is really like across Morocco.As part of our commitment to the environment we deliberately step away from the traditional tourist accommodation and spend a night sleeping under the stars at a desert camp run by Berber nomads – this is the ultimate exercise in sustainability with no electricity, running water or permanent structures – it is just you and nature. We even eschew vehicles and travel there by camel!

Community

Traveling with respect in Morocco starts at the very first group meeting where our local Moroccan group leaders discuss how to behave respectfully in a Muslim country and break down the cultural barriers we often face.In Morocco we have built strong links with local communities, craftspeople, animal hospitals, artists, and the handicapped - all of which directly rely on the assistance of donations and products purchased by our travelers and other visitors. Project Handicapped Horizon, who have so far assisted with the rehabilitation, health and empowerment of more than 3,000 disabled people; and Kasbah Myriam, a carpet and embroidery workshop run by Franciscan nuns with the aim of providing sustainable employment and healthcare to local Berber women are both great examples of this.We offer travelers an opportunity to interact with locals, to value their activities and crafts and help towards sustaining their livelihoods.Travelers on this trip have the opportunity to stay in local guest house in remote M’goun valley in the High Atlas mountains. Far from the typical tourist hotel, this accommodation is run by a local family and other members of the community in the area hence encouraging genuine local interaction and an insight the real daily life of people. Our travelers are always welcome to go a bit further and actively assist the family in their daily life by helping out with the cooking or any other activities. As well as mutual interaction there is a genuine economic benefit to the local community as they are brought in to assist the programs and provide local produce for meals.We make time to stop by a traditional Berber nomad family for tea. Nomads usually move around so we usually meet different families throughout the year instead of one, helping to spread both the financial and interaction benefit to these people that often live on the fringes of modern society.

As part of our commitment to responsible travel a portion of your trip cost is donated to Bicycles for Humanity – a not-for-profit, volunteer run, grass roots charity organisation focused on the alleviation of poverty through sustainable transport, in the form of a bicycle.